Grade indicator



June 26, 1945, A. P. GUBRUD GRADE INDICATOR 2 Sheets-Shee t 1 Filed April 13, 1944 June 26,1945. A. P. GUBRUD GRADE INDICATOR Filed April 13, 194

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 26, 1945 2,379,350

UNITED STATES 1 PATENT OFFICE 1 2,319,350 i GRADE INDICATOR Adolph P. Gubrud, Hudson, s. Dak. Application April 13, 1944, Serial No. 530,896

3 Claims. (C1. 33-209) This invention relates to a level determining and the upper end of a glass gauge 2! is mounted device for mounting on a vehicle so as to deterin the L 20. mine the grade of a road or other surface. A four-way coupling 22 is secured to the rear An object of this invention is to provide a deend of the lower pipe l4, and has mounted in one vice of this kind which can be readily mounted 5 branch thereof a reduced diameter nipple 23. An on any convenient part of the vehicle, and which L 24 is mounted on the rear end of the nipple embodies the use of a fluid in a closed channel, 23 and the lower end of the glass tube or gauge the fluid operating a gauge or meter whereby Zl is mountedinthe L 24. The coupling 22 has the driver can determine the various grades of a plug 2'5 mounted in the lower branch thereof the ground as he passes thereover. whereby the tubular member forming the gauge Another object of this invention is to provide may be filled with liquid to the desired level. a device of this kind which is simple in construc- The coupling l8 has mounted in another tion and will not get out of order. branch thereof one end of apipe 2B, and the other A further object of this invention is to provide end of the pipe 26 is mounted in the upper branch in a device of this kind means whereby the level of the coupling 22. The pipe 26 is parallel with determining fluid will be prevented from surging the gauge 2i and spaced forwardly therefrom. or undue agitation over rough road or other con- A ete ho n generally designated as ditions. is disposed above the upper pipe l3, and com- With the foregoing and other objects in view, prises a cyl'ndrical body 28 having a forward wal the invention will be more fully described here- 29 and a transparent panel 30, forming the rear ticularly pointed wall. The panel 30 is provided with a plurality inafter. and will be more par out in the claims appended hereto. of graduations 3|, and preferably the panel 30 e-half 32 thereof clear and In the drawings wherein like symbols refer to is provided with on like or corresponding parts throughout the sevthe other half 33 or a contrasting color.

eral views,

Figure 1 is a detailed side elevation of a device constructed according to an embodiment of this and also the forward wall 29. A

invention mounted on a vehicle, the vehicle being cured to the rear end of the shaft 35 and is posishown in fragmentary form. tioned between the transparent dial or wall Figure 2 is a top plan of the device On the 30 and the inner wall 34. The wall 34 has. secured to the lower portion thereof, a stop pin 31 against vehicle.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the device. which the pointer 36 is adapted to engage so as Figure 4 is an enlarged detailed side elevato limit the swinging of the pointer 36 to 180 tion partly in section of the device. in either direction. Figure 5 is an enlarged rear elevation of the The shaft 35 is adapted to be rotated by meter. means of a vertically movable rack 38 which is Figure 6 is a sectional view, taken on the line positioned within the housing 21, and is." secured 6-45 of Figure 4. to a rod or stem 39. The rod or stem 39' ex- Figure 7 is a sectional view, taken on the line tends downwardly through a pipe 40 extending 1-1 of Figure 6. 40 from the housing 21 and mounted in the upper Referring to the drawings the numeral l0 desbranch of the coupling l8. I'he rod 31 extends vehicle, which in the present downwardly into the pipe 26 and has secured ignates generally a instance is a tractor, having a hood H on which to the lower end thereof a float 4|. The rack 38 inion 42 mounted on the shaft 2. level determinng device 12, constructed acmeshes with a p cording to an embodiment of this invention is 45 35-50 that vertical movement of the rack 38 will rotate the shaft 35 and swing the pointer 36 mounted.

The level determining device I2 is an endless about the inner side of the dial 30.

tube, and comprises upper and lower pipes l3 and In order to provide a means whereby the liquid M, a vertical forward pipe l5 secured to the for- 43 within the endless tube hereinbefore described ward ends of the upper and lower pipes by means will be prevented from undue agitation or surgof Us [6 and I1. The upper pipe 13, at the rear ing, 1 have provided a valve 44 which is interend thereof, has secured thereto a four-way couposed in the pipe Ill. The valve 44, when moved pling l8 and a reduced diameter nipple l9 exa P y 010866- position will limit e ov tends from one branch of the coupling l8. An L ment of the liquid Within the lower p p l4 and 20 is secured to the rear end of the nipple I9, 56 will thereby limit the vertical movement of the liquid within the pipe 26, this latter pipe being various graduations may be in percentages or the float guide for operating the pointer. fractions of percentages so that a record may be adapted to be mounted at any suitable point and portions of the ground. in the present instance is mounted on the hood What is claimed is:

1. A gr of a pair of clamping members 45. The pipes tubular member formed of horizontal elongated 3 and H are of a length slightly less than the tubes, a pair of vertical tubes connecting the length of the hood II and preferably the glass ends of said horizontal together, a liquid in said tube 2| is provided on the rear side thereof with 10 endless member, an intermediate vertical tube determined by the position of the pointer 36 with in alignment with said intermediate tube, and a respect to the dial 30. vertically movable float movable in said interme- In order to facilitate the reading of the gradua-. diate tube and connected to said gauge in a mantions 46 on glass tube 2|, the rear portion of her to indicate diiferent levels of the liquid in this tube is provided with a colored coating 41 the intermediate tube resulting from different at which point 0 graduation is positioned. bular member formed of horizontal elongated The graduations 46 are preferably indicative of tubes a pair of vertical tubes connecting the one percent difference in level for each graduaends of said horizontal together, one of said tion above or below the central graduation vertical tubes being transparent and of smaller The rise or fall of liquid in tube 2| is made as diameter, graduations of predetermined spacing 36 from the upper vertical position which is ing said gauge with one of said horizontal tubes taken from graduations 46 on tube 2| the intermediat tube resulting from diflerent In the use of this device, the tubular member angular positions imparted to the indicator, said I 2 is mounted on the ho d II with h gauge 2| gauge being adapted to indicate slight variations with the frame or chassis of the vehicle. The graduations on the vertical tube by which greater tion, depending on the inclination of the ground, less member, an intermediate vertical tube comd by p o d e contrastmg 00101 On On municating at the opposite ends thereof with half of the dial 3 the ope at can d in said horizontal tubes, a gauge a nipple connectby a a ce t t r 2 Whether t e ln ting said gauge with one of said horizontal tubes than one percent, pointer 36; wi l at i s ner to indicate difl'erent levels of the liquid in lowermost position by conta tin wi h h p the intermediate tube resulting from diiferent an- 31, but liquid 43 will move up or down in gauge tube 2|, depending upon Whether the grade is an adjustable valve member disposed in the lower up d wn and the level of hquid 43 in tubeil horizontal tube for varying the flow of liquid will indicate the correct inclination, each graduathrough the latter whereby agitation or surging tion 6 representing one percent. is prevented.

The device is of simple construction and will ADQLPI-I P, U RUD,

not readily get out of order, and if desired, the: 

